Different types of database systems have different advantages and disadvantages. For example, traditional relational databases are based on relational models of data and support different types of complex queries, but may suffer from a lack of horizontal scaling. By contrast, non-relational or NoSQL databases may better support horizontal scaling, but may provide a user with fewer options in specifying a query of a given table. Further, a commonly stored attribute within a record of a table is a list of elements, and for a database that does not support direct queries on lists of elements, it may be extremely inefficient and cumbersome to obtain an answer regarding membership of list elements in a list.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean inclusive of, but not limited to.